SENIOR TORY: 'Hard Brexit' is 'stupid Brexit'

Lord Hill is a former EU commissioner who was Leader of the Lords
under the premiership of close ally David Cameron.

He told BBC
Radio 4's Today programme on Friday that the UK had to weigh
up whether to pursue 'hard' Brexit, a deal in which Britain would
leave EU's free trade zone in return for major curbs on
immigration.

"I think we often have this false choice in the UK between 'hard'
Brexit' and 'soft' Brexit," Lord Hill said.

"I think the choice is between stupid Brexit and more intelligent
Brexit, and that is what we need to go for."

Hill said: "If we approach [Brexit negotiations] in a sensible
way, because the European system is a deal-based system, there is
more scope for trying to resolve it intelligently than if we go
at it in a way where we all end up shouting at each other."

Hill was previously the EU's commissioner for financial
stability, financial services, and capital markets, making him
the most senior British official in Brussels. He resigned shortly
after the UK's vote to leave the EU.

His comments came the day after May was left humiliated at her
first Brussels summit. Following a long dinner on Thursday in
which Brexit was not even discussed, May made a brief speech.